Known for its verdant scenery and intricate customs, Laos is a Southeast Asian nation whose culture is deeply ingrained in the Lao language. The process of learning the language can be difficult, but rewarding for English speakers, especially when it comes to pronunciation. Whether you’re traveling, working, or living in Laos, nailing the nuances of Lao pronunciation will open doors to deeper cultural experiences. Lao is spoken in diaspora communities around the world as well as in Northern Thailand, where it is referred to as ‘Isan.’
Much like other languages in Southeast Asia, Lao is a tonal language, meaning that slight variations in pitch can completely alter the meaning of a word. This might seem daunting at first, but don’t fret! From tones to common mistakes and vocabulary, we’ll walk you through the most important components of Lao pronunciation so you can interact and communicate effectively with the Laotian people. Let’s get started!
Table Of Contents
Why Is Lao Pronunciation Important?
Pronunciation is one of the most important aspects of Lao, especially since any small change in the tone of a word can change the meaning of what you’re trying to say.
Even throughout Laos, each region has its own unique ways of pronouncing the tones, which can make it challenging for locals to understand one another. In this guide, we’re focusing on Central, or Vientiane Lao, since it’s the de facto ‘standard’ way of speaking and is widely spoken in the capital city of Vientiane.
The Different Accents Of The Lao Language
The Lao language has three major regional accents, which can be further split up into regional dialects:
Northern
This is generally regarded as the most elegant way to speak Lao. Known for its flowery and effeminate delivery while only using five tones, Lao people say that people from the north ‘sing’ the language, while people from the south ‘bark’ it.
Central/Vientiane
Considered the ‘standard’ accent, this is the most widely spoken and understood way to speak Lao. Taught in schools across the country, it’s a middle ground between the northern and southern accents.
Southern
People from the South tend to have a strong ‘twang’ and speak quickly compared to the other accents, resulting in their speech being perceived as more comical and casual. It’s no coincidence that many Lao comedians are from the South!
Understanding The Lao Script
When learning the pronunciation of the Lao language, it’s important to understand the differences between the Lao script and the Latin alphabet. The good news is that Lao is consistently phonetic, meaning you pronounce words as they are spelled. However, English speakers may not be familiar with certain sounds represented by the script. Let’s explore!
Lao Consonant Pronunciation
The Lao language has 27 consonants, representing a range of sounds that change depending on their placement within a word. Some are voiced, meaning that the speaker’s vocal cords vibrate, while some are voiceless. In addition, certain consonants are aspirated, followed by a burst of air, while others are not aspirated.
It might seem like a lot, but many characters share similar sounds, with the primary difference being the tone produced when paired with vowels. To make it easier for students to remember and practice, there is an official acrophonic system in place, where words start with their corresponding sound.
Consonants
| Letter | Pronunciation | Acrophonic | Roman Transcription | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ກ | K | ກ ໄກ່ | Ko kai | Chicken |
| ຂ | Kh | ຂ ໄຂ່ | Kho khai | Egg |
| ຄ | Kh | ຄ ຄວາຍ | Kho khuai | Buffalo |
| ງ | Ng | ງ ງົວ | Ngo ngua | Cow |
| ຈ | Ch | ຈ ຈອກ | Cho chok | Cup |
| ສ | S | ສ ເສືອ | So seua | Tiger |
| ຊ | X | ຊ ຊ້າງ | Xo xang | Elephant |
| ຍ | Ny | ຍ ຍຸງ | Nyo nyung | Mosquito |
| ດ | D | ດ ເດັກ | Do dek | Child |
| ຕ | T | ຕ ຕາ | To ta | Eye |
| ຖ | Th | ຖ ຖົງ | Tho thong | Bag |
| ທ | Th | ທ ທຸງ | Tho thung | Flag |
| ນ | N | ນ ນົກ | No nok | Bird |
| ບ | B | ບ ແບ້ | Bo bae | Goat |
| ປ | P | ປ ປາ | Po pa | Fish |
| ຜ | Ph | ຜ ເຜິ້ງ | Pho phoeng | Bee |
| ຝ | F | ຝ ຝົນ | Fo fon | Rain |
| ພ | Ph | ພ ພູ | Pho phou | Mountain |
| ຟ | F | ຟ ໄຟ | Fo fai | Fire |
| ມ | M | ມ ແມວ | Mo meo | Cat |
| ຢ | Y | ຢ ຢາ | Yo ya | Medicine |
| ຣ | R | ຣ ຣົດ | Ro rod | Vehicle (archaic) |
| ລ | L | ລ ລິງ | Lo ling | Monkey |
| ວ | V | ວ ວີ | Vo vee | Hand fan |
| ຫ | H | ຫ ຫ່ານ | Ho han | Goose |
| ອ | O | ອ ໂອ | O Oh | Water bowl |
| ຮ | H | ຮ ເຮືອນ | Ho heuan | House |
In addition to the ones above, there are six additional compound consonants that are considered special characters. These special consonants are formed when the character ຫ is paired with either ງ, ຍ, ນ, ມ, ລ, or ວ, resulting in a tone shift from low to high. Nowadays, these are rarely used, with the regular 27 consonants being preferred
With that being said, it’s always good to be prepared! Take a look at the different compound consonants below:
Compound Consonants
| Letter | Pronunciation | Example Word | Roman Transcription | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ຫງ | Ng | ເຫງົາ | Ngao | Lonely |
| ຫຍ | Ny | ຫຍ້າ | Nya | Grass |
| ໜ or ຫນ | N | ໜູ | Nu | Mouse |
| ໝ or ຫມ | M | ໝາ | Ma | Dog |
| ຫຼ or ຫລ | L | ຫຼັງ | Lang | Back |
| ຫວ | W | ແຫວນ | Waen | Ring |
Vowel Pronunciation
The Lao language has a total of 28 vowels, called sala (ສະຫຼະ). They’re categorized into 12 long, 12 short, and 4 special vowels. Don’t be intimidated! The 24 long and short vowels are consistently pronounced as written and correspond to each other’s respective forms:
Short Vowels
| Vowel | Vowel Name | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| ອະ | Sala a | A |
| ອິ | Sala i | I |
| ອຶ | Sala ue | Ue |
| ອຸ | Sala u | U |
| ເອະ | Sala e | E |
| ແອະ | Sala ae | Ae |
| ໂອະ | Sala o | O |
| ເອາະ | Sala aw | Aw |
| ເອິ | Sala oe | Oe |
| ເອັຍ | Sala ia | Ia |
| ເອຶອ | Sala uea | Uea |
| ອົວະ | Sala ua | Ua |
Long Vowels
| Vowel | Vowel Name | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| ອາ | Sala aa | Aa |
| ອີ | Sala ii | Ii |
| ອື | Sala uue | Uue |
| ອູ | Sala uu | Uu |
| ເອ | Sala ee | Ee |
| ແອ | Sala aae | Aae |
| ໂອ | Sala oo | Oo |
| ອໍ | Sala o | O |
| ເອີ | Sala ooe | Ooe |
| ເອຍ | Sala iia | Iia |
| ເອືອ | Sala uuea | Uuea |
| ອົວ | Sala uua | Uua |
Special Vowels
| Vowel | Vowel Name | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| ໄອ or ໃອ | Sala ai | Ai |
| ເອົາ | Sala ao | Ao |
| ອໍາ | Sala am | Am |
Fun fact: There are 32 vowels in Thai, but only 28 are frequently used. Coincidentally, they’re the same 28 that are found in the Lao language. Remember this if you’re planning a trip to Thailand!
Understanding The Lao Tonal System
One of the most important aspects of the Lao language is its use of six distinct tones. Using the incorrect tone when pronouncing a word can completely change the meaning of what you’re trying to communicate. Mastering these six tones is essential to communicate properly in Lao.
With this in mind, let’s delve into the six tones you can encounter when learning Lao!
Low Tone
This tone’s pitch starts lower than the normal conversational pitch and stays low throughout the word. The tone stays flat without any rise or fall in pitch.
Example: ‘ເອົາ’ (Ao) meaning ‘to take.’
Mid Tone
This tone starts neutral, with no rise or fall in pitch. It is spoken at a normal conversational pitch.
Example: ‘ກ່ວາ’ (Kua), meaning ‘more than.’
High Tone
Starting and staying at a high pitch, this tone tends to sound sharper than the others.
Example: ‘ລາວ’ (Lao), meaning ‘Lao’ or a gender-neutral pronoun such as ‘he,’ ‘her,’ ‘she,’ or ‘him.’
Rising Tone
Similar to how you’d ask a question, this tone starts low and rises towards the end of the word.
Example: ‘ຜົວ’ (Phua), meaning ‘husband.’
High Rising Tone
This tone starts high and rises higher towards the end of the word, to a greater degree than the regular rising tone.
Example: ‘ງົວ’ (Ngua), meaning ‘cow.’
Low Falling Tone
The pitch of this tone starts low and falls towards the end of the word. This gives a downward intonation to the word.
Example: ‘ເເປດ’ (Paed), meaning ‘eight.’
Additional Tips For Mastering Lao Pronunciation
Mastering the six tones in Lao will take practice, but with these tips and consistent practice, you’ll have your pronunciation down pat!
Listen And Speak To Native Speakers
It’s no secret that the best way to acquire a new language is to actively speak and listen to native speakers. The best way to do this is to find language exchange groups in your area or find Lao communities where you can practice the language. Focus on how they pronounce specific tones and imitate them. You’ll quickly find out where you should stress syllables, the cadence of speaking, and many more nuances of the Lao language.
Expose Yourself To Lao Media To Complement Your Learning
Exposure to media available in the Lao language is the best way to learn about Lao culture while also improving your listening skills. Listening to Lao music can also be a fun way to discover new music and improve oral comprehension. Reading news reports and books in Lao can also be a fantastic way to improve your reading so that you can identify how to say a word just by their spelling.
Practice With Minimal Pairs
Minimal pairs are words that differ by only one sound. Practice distinguishing between words by listening for their tone, such as the words ‘ມາ,’ ‘ໝາ,’ and ‘ມ້າ,’ (all pronounced ‘ma’ ), which mean either ‘come,’ ‘dog,’ and ‘horse,’ respectively.
Be Patient And Consistent
Mastering pronunciation can be challenging, but don’t be discouraged! Focus on consistent practice and follow the tips above, and your tonal accuracy will improve with time.
How Do You Say ‘Pronunciation’ In Lao?
The word for ‘pronunciation’ in Lao is ‘kan ork sieng’ (ການອອກສຽງ).
Vocabulary Related To Lao Pronunciation
| English | Lao | Roman Transcription |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | ການອອກສຽງ | Kan ork sieng |
| Accent | ສຳນຽງ | Sam nieng |
| Tone | ສຽງ | Sieng |
| Consonant | ອັກສອນ | Aksorn |
| Vowel | ສະຫຼະ | Sala |
| Word | ຄໍາ | Kham |
| Sentence | ປະໂຫຍກ | Payok |
| Can you speak a little bit slower, please? | ເຈົ້າສາມາດເວົ້າຊ້າລົງໄດ້ບໍ່? | Chao samat vao sa long dai bor? |
| I’m learning Lao | ຂ້ອຍກຳລັງຮຽນພາສາລາວ | Khoi kum lung hien phasa lao |
Frequently Asked Questions About Lao Pronunciation
1. Is It Pronounced ‘Lao’ Or ‘Laos’?
In English, the name of the country of Laos is pronounced as written, with the ‘s’ included. However, in the Lao language, it’s pronounced simply as ‘Lao’ without any ‘s’ sound at the end.
2. What Language Is Lao Closest To?
The Lao language is most closely related to the Thai language. Both languages are part of the Tai-Kadai language family and are mutually intelligible between native speakers.
3. How Do You Say ‘Hello’ In Lao?
The word for ‘hello’ in Lao is ‘sabaidee’ (ສະບາຍດີ). Breaking it down into syllables, ‘sa’ has a neutral tone with a short vowel ‘a’, ‘bai’ has a rising tone with a long vowel ‘ai’, and ‘dee’ has a rising tone with a long vowel ‘ee’.
Still Need Practice?
Getting the hang of pronunciation in a tonal language such as Lao takes time and effort to get right. Implementing learning strategies such as speaking with native speakers, practicing with minimal pairs, and consuming media in Lao is a great way to improve your Lao pronunciation and learn Lao in general.
Furthermore, using apps such as the Ling app to learn Lao on the go can help with retention and provide consistent exposure to the language. If you follow all the steps in this guide, you’ll be conversing in Lao like a native speaker in no time!
